THE REED-BIRD. 215 



CURIOUS FACTS. 



Audubon states that when these birds migrate south in the 

 autumn their flight is diurnal, but when returning in the spring 

 they travel mostly at night. Such, however, has not been the result 

 of our observations, as we have noticed the flight of reed-birds, 

 many times during the autumn, in the still hours of the night ; and 

 in the spring we have also seen them travelling during the day. 

 Another interesting particular respecting the reed-bird is the sin- 

 gular change which takes place in the plumage of the male. This 

 change begins in June, and by the close of the following month 

 the color has approached so nearly to that of the female that it is 

 very difficult to distinguish one from the other. This circum- 

 stance, in connection with the fact that the plumage of all the 

 young birds also resembles that of the females, has given rise to 

 the vulgar notion that the male birds never return from the North ; 

 but what becomes of them every one of course is unable to con- 

 jecture. 



AS A CAGE-BIRD. 



The plumage of the reed-bird is variegated and pretty, and he 

 makes a very sprightly and contented captive for the bird-fancier: 

 soon forgetting his former life of freedom, he resigns himself to 

 his lot, and sings merrily and cheerily for several months in the 

 year. His notes are agreeable, and capable of much improvement 

 by associating him with the canary-bird, with which we have been 

 told he will pair. 



